A Day in the Life of.....

A Year in Review

 
These are the 8 finished projects that I have photos of.  I also completed a vest for a friend's grandson, crocheted a sweater that I need to send to a friend, started and worked on some socks that aren't completed yet and did do some spinning (not as much as I would have liked).  I was lucky enough to go to SPA, Conn Sheep and Wool, NH Sheep and Wool and Stitches East.  It has been a good year for fiber.  Hopefully in 2010, I can keep up with projects, finish a pattern I am writing and attend some more super fibery places.  Hope everyone has a great year and you accomplish everything you want and then some.

Riverstone

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Originally uploaded by ADITLO

This is the sweater that I knit for Olivia, Mary's grand niece - Melanie's daughter. I wanted something different and this was just that. The arms and top of the sweater are knit long ways and then you pick up stitches along the bottom of it and knit the body. I am a slow knitter but this didn't take me too long to do it. It is knit in Cascade 220 superwash in a demin color with Cascade 220 superwash in an off white as accent. The shoulders each have 3 little white rose buttons to keep it closed. The accent is not part of the pattern, I put a crocheted shell edging on the bottom to dress it up a little and make sure that no one would think she was a little boy. Hope it fits and she likes it. I am not even sure that she has seen it yet but if I don't blog now, I won't remember. And if you haven't checked out patternfish, this is a good opportunity to do just that. You won't find any free patterns but you will find some cool ones. Enjoy.

http://www.patternfish.com/patterns/2961

December 29, 1964

That was the day that my little sister was born.  I don't remember it but I don't imagine that I was too happy.  You see, I was an only child, only grand child, only neice, etc on BOTH sides of my family.  So having a new baby in the family, I am sure took away from me.  The arrival of the interloper started that wonderful tradition of matching outfits (especially at Easter time), of it always being Debbi and Cheryl, of take your sister with you when you ...go to the park (don't let her fall in the manhole) (or through the hole in the fence down the hill toward the railroad tracks)  of don't let her climb on your uncle's trailer and get her foot caught, of  why weren't you watching her when she landed on the bee, of where were you when she broke her arm at YMCA camp...... do anything.  Then as we got older, she was the one that stood out more - so suddenly I became Cheryl's sister....as in OH you're Cheryl's sister from the teachers in school, from friend's parents etc.  How did that happen?  I was here first, I was the oldest, it should have been OH you're Debbi's little sister - not the other way around.

But as my sister hits the middle of her forties and starts toward the big 50, I want to wish her the very bestest Birthday that there can be from her older but younger looking big sister!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHERYL and MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY!!!!!!!

Baby 1 and Baby 3

Here are 2 of the new babies all ready for a rocking Christmas. I believe that this one (the brown and white)    is available and the black and white one is spoken for but there are plenty more where he/she came from. If anyone is interested they will be ready to go the 1st of February.

And then there were 8

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Originally uploaded by ADITLO

First there was Bela, then there was Bela and Gizzy and this past Sunday 6 more showed up. Apparently Bela and Gizzy did what bunnies do and on Sunday afternoon, they became the proud parents of 6 baby bunnies. Momma is doing well, she is very protective of her babies. Dad has been moved to a different cage until the babies are a little bigger, but he is very curious what all the fuss is under the covering of fur in the corner. Why do the humans keep looking in there and why does Gizzy keep running over to make sure that they are ok and how come he is over here in this cage instead of snuggling with Gizzy? Poor Bela is a little confused. Soon enough he can go back. There will be no more accidental babies though, we took care of that issue.
   

OH NO......

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Originally uploaded by ADITLO

Don't look now but there is knitting going on. Actually I have been doing quite a bit of knitting. I just keep forgetting to take pictures of it. This is a project that I finished this summer - stole back from Mel and Olivia and just realized I hadn't posted it. Very cute hat, made for a two year old - so doesn't fit just yet but fun to do, fun to pratice a little bit of color work and extremely easy. Could be for a girl or boy, just remove the flower on top.

What you get to see when you work in the woods....

 

It was interesting to see these on Friday on the way home and have one for dinner yesterday.

What we did on our summer vacation....

Well it was an interesting summer at the Blouin/Houlihan/Carmo residence.  I took the summer off and only worked one job, Cheryl took two college classes and did well on both, David had 2 really cool adventures with Boy Scouts, my mom made the decision to retire this fall (for sure this time), Jared made some hard decisions regarding school/GED/training program and is back at school this fall, Mary continued her job search and worked through some health issues (nothing serious), and Kelsie looked at some colleges, loved some, hated others and narrowed down her school choices to 8 colleges/universities. 

 

We also adopted not one but two bunnies that will be making appearances here at the blog for your viewing pleasure.  Y’all have met one already, Bela LaBunny, and the newest member is Gizmo, little bunny with big ears.  We built them a cage, and they are getting comfy on our sun porch.  As you all know, we have 4 cats as well and everyone of them is afraid of the buns.  It is too funny to see the big cats back up away from the 3 pound buns. 

 

Extended family has had an interesting summer as well.  Mary’s nephew/godson left for the Marines in August, 2 of Mary’s nieces got engaged, and Mary’s dad has been up to visit camp not once but twice already and is coming up for a third visit this weekend.  My sister-in-law and brother-in-law are adjusting to being empty nesters, my brother-in-law Alan is getting ready to go back to Iraq in January.

 

I think this is enough today.  More later.

Off to camp we go.....Boy Scout Style

The beginning of May the Boy Scouts had a weekend camping trip.  We had bought David a 2 man tent that he practiced sleeping in at the house.  This was his first camping trip without his dad.  So his mom and Mary packed him up, and off he went.  He learned how to sharpen a hatchet, do dishes the camp way, hiked, and participated in other fun activities.  Apparently he enjoyed himself so much that he is planning on going with them for the week long trip this summer.  His only request, a bigger tent so that he can stand up in it.  HAHAHA.  Little does he know, most single person tents are not made for you to stand up in, not even when you are only 11.  I think that he will have to learn to change his clothes sitting down just like the rest of us.

Hats, Hats, Hats

I like to knit rolled brimmed hats.  And babies look good in rolled brimmed hats.  You can use up small amounts of yarn and still get a nice looking project.  Olivia, I imagine, will be receiving many rolled brimmed hats.